St. Expeditus: Patron Saint of Speedy Causes

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St. Expeditus:  Patron Saint of Speedy Causes The venerated image of St. Expeditus in  the Lipa Cathedral In the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Lipa City is a venerated image of a young Roman Centurion saint named Expeditus. Every month of April, a nine day novena in his honor is held in the cathedral that culminates in the celebration of his feast day on the 19th of the month. Who is this saint whose intercession was also invoked in the Oratio Imperata  to avert a catastrophic eruption of Taal Volcano prepared by the Archdiocese of Lipa when the volcano exhibited extra-ordinary activity early  in January, 2020?  St. Expeditus could have found affinity with the Lipenos since the martyr shares a lot of commonality with St. Sebastian, the city’s patron. St. Expeditus, like St. Sebastian was also a young Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and was also martyred as a consequence, during the period of Diocletian persecution.  Hence, a devotion to him has developed amo
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Homilies and Reflections: May 3, 2020, 4th Sunday of Easter / Good Shepherd Sunday (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Mayo 03, 2020, Ika-4 na Linggo sa Panahon ng Muling Pagkabuhay / Linggo ng Mabuting Pastol, Pandaigdigang Pananalangin para sa Bokasyon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Juan 10: 1-10

Kaya't muling sinabi ni Hesus, "Tandaan ninyo: ako ang pintuang dinaraanan ng mga tupa... Ako ang pintuan. Ang sinumang pumasok sa pamamagitan ko'y maliligtas"

Punong puno na naman ng imahe at larawan ang ating mabuting balita ngayong ipinagdiriwang natin ang Linggo ng Mabuting Pastol kaalinsabay din ang paggunita sa pandaigdigang araw ng pananalangin para sa bokasyon.  

Dalawa ang nangibabaw na larawan sa aking pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita sa Linggong ito. Yaong pastol, ang Mabuting Pastol na walang iba kung hindi si Hesus at ang pintuan, na ginamit din ni Hesus na larawan para tukuyin ang kanyang sarili.  Napakahalaga ng pintuan.  Noong unang panahon, ang mga kaharian, sinisiguro nilang hindi mapapasok ang kanilang palasyo ng mga kalaban sa pamamagitan ng pagpapalibot dito sa mataas at makapal na bakod na bato.  At sympre, ang pinto nito ay kanilang pinapatibay at binabantayan sa pagkat ito ang unang lulusubin at aatakihin ng mga kalaban.  Pag bumagsak ang pinto, pag napasok ang pinto, malaking peligro na ito para sa kaharian. Maaring kasunod na ang pagbagsak ng buong kaharian. Ganoon din sa mga bahay, nilalagyan natin ng maraming lock ang ating pintuan para masiguro ang ating kaligtasan, na hindi mapapasok ang ating bahay ng mga masasamang loob.

Ngayong panahong ito ng Enhanced Community Quarantine, maari nating maisalarawan ang ating mga sarili na para tayong mga tupang nakakulong sa ating mga tahana. Relate na relate tayo sa karanasan ng mga tupa sa mabuting balita.  Magandang pagnilayan at itanong, matibay ba ang ating pintuan? Sino ang nagbabantay ng pinto ng ating "kulungan"? Sa Mabuting Pastol ba natin ipinagkakatiwala ang kaligtasan ng ating tahanan kasama ang ating buong sambahayan sampu ng ating mga mahal sa buhay?

Kapatid, hindi ka "ikinukulong" ng Mabutin Pastol sa mga panahong ito upang pahirapan at parusahan. "Ikinukulong" ka upang ikaw ay alagaan Niya at protektahan. Upang paglipas ng kahabaan ng kadilimang ito, pagsapit ng bagong umaga, ikaw ay lalabas sa "pintuan" ng iyong tahanan na mas malakas at mas matibay.  Mas umaasa at nagtitiwala sapagkat ikaw ay iningatan at pinuno ng pagmamahal ng Mabuting Pastol sa kadilimin at kahabaan ng gabi.

Harinawa, bagama't nahihirapan ka ngayon at naiinip, hindi makalabas at makapaghanap-buhay, katulad ng ating salmista, iyo ring maawit "Pastol ko'y Panginoong Diyos, hindi ako magdarahop." Amen.

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